Flat-Out Love - Park Jessica (книги txt) 📗

“You don’t sound like you like Finn all that much.”

“On the contrary. He’s incredible. He’s vivacious and relaxed and unrestrained. Finn gets to do everything I don’t, and I envy him.”

“So Celeste used to be more like Finn?” Julie asked.

“She did,” Matt said softly.

“I think she’s doing better, don’t you? A little bit? She pitched a fit because I couldn’t find the second season of Glee the other day. I think that’s a good sign.”

“What is Glee?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a good thing. And she’s asking for trendy clothes for Christmas and wants me to take her shopping, too.”

“So she’s becoming devoid of individuality? Exactly what I hoped for.”

“Shut up. These are good things. Flat Finn is getting another round of hinges in a few weeks. Celeste gave me the go-ahead. Matty, don’t you see how much she needs to fit in and needs friends? Can you imagine how desperately lonely she must be?”

“I can.” Matt sighed. “You’re probably better for her than I am.”

“But you do really important stuff. She needs someone like you to take care of her. Your mother is…having a hard time, too, I think.”

Matt nodded. “I know. She is having a horrible time. Both my parents are. Why do you think she and my father are out of the house so much? They can’t stand to be here.” Matt ran his hands through his hair. “Julie, I’m tired. I don’t want to be Celeste’s parent. I can’t.”

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes.

Finally Julie spoke. “Gee, this lying under the tree routine is really turning out to be fun, isn’t it? Aren’t you glad you’re here?”

“It has exceeded my expectations.”

“OK, let’s talk about girls again.”

“You’re interested in girls? I had no idea. I thought you were dating that Seth character.”

“You’re a riot, Matt. Really. And for your information, Seth and I broke up.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I’ve moved on. Sort of. I don’t know what’s going on. I have a crush.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. My brother?”

“How did you know?” Julie was surprised.

“Let’s see? Could it be the way you go on and on about how fabulously interesting and entertaining he is? How you check your phone for mail every three minutes? Surreptitious, you’re not.”

“Well, fine. So what? Anyway, we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about your floundering love life. Call Dana.”

“I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“That’s ridiculous. There’s always time if you want it. Don’t you need a little romance in your life, Matty?” Julie nudged his shoulder with her hand.

He laughed. “I like when you call me Matty. It’s… cute.”

“Cute? That’s the word you came up with? With that abnormally large brain of yours, I’d think you could do better than cute.”

“The smell from the candles sucked all the smart out of me.”

“Good. Then you’re too dumb now to protest. I’ll give you Dana’s number, and you’ll call her and take her out to dinner.”

“No.”

“I’ll bribe you then.” Julie scooted forward until her body was out from under the tree and sat up. “What if I give you your Christmas present now?”

“No,” he said again from under the branches.

Julie took his feet in her hands and pulled him out. “It’s a good present. Presents, actually. Trust me.”

“Yeah?” Matt smiled. “OK, you have a deal.”

“Yay!” Julie clapped her hands together. She retrieved Matt’s gift from the small pile she had set downstairs a few days earlier and handed him the soft package. “Now, since I’m on a student budget, it’s nothing extravagant. It’s the thought that counts, though, right?”

“If the thought is cash, then, yes.”

“Matthew!”

“Kidding, kidding.” Matt gently undid the green ribbon and removed the red paper. He looked at the two presents and beamed, pretending to wipe away a tear as he lifted up the first T-shirt. “Han Solo in carbonite,” he stated.  He lifted up the other shirt, a red one with a picture of a two-stick Popsicle being divided. “Please don’t separate us. We share vital organs,” he read. “They’re perfect. I knew you’d come around to the shirts.”

“I have not come around to the shirts, but holidays are not about trying to change people into having decent, or even acceptable, taste. Besides, I was fighting a losing battle.”

“Do you want yours now? Since you’re leaving in a few days?”

“Right. California.” Julie nodded in agreement. “I’m going to California.”

“You’ll have a lot of time with your father. It should be an incredible trip.”

“Yes, it should,” Julie said. “Wine country, Hollywood, beaches, fancy hotels, gourmet meals. My father will want to hear every single thing about college and my life. I’ll probably be so sick of talking about myself by the end that I’ll need a vacation from my vacation!” Julie didn’t know why she was lying to Matt, but every part of her was stubbornly refusing to tell him the truth. “So, yes, yes, yes! I want my present now!”

“Greedy, aren’t you?” he teased. He reached behind him and opened a drawer in one of the small end tables. He handed Julie a red envelope with her name written on the front.

She opened it and impulsively screamed, causing Matt to throw one hand over her mouth and shush her with the other. “Everyone is asleep!” he said, trying not to laugh.

“But you got me a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card that will last me for the rest of my college career! How can I not scream? Matty!” She flung her arms around his neck. “You’re so sweet!” She sat back down on her knees. “And now you have to call Dana. You promised.”

“I guess I did,” he said sighing.

“She’s going home for a few weeks, but she’ll be back right after the holidays. Isn’t this great? We’re both starting the New Year with romance. Or at least the possibility of romance.”

Matt looked at her. “That would be nice.”

Chapter 22

Matthew Watkins thinks the prefrontal lobes are amazing. But then again, it’s his prefrontal lobes that enable him to think that, so who knows?

Finn is God See? I told you that was fun! Now, let’s go find your eye.

Julie Seagle Little-known fact: After his promotion, Rudolph became insufferable. The following year, he was the star of a lesser-known and little-loved Xmas special about humility and not forgetting one’s “roots.”

Julie realigned the silverware and took a sip of sparkling water from her glass. It was New Year’s Eve, so the restaurant was totally full, of course, and it was fun being in downtown Boston with this festive crowd. She checked the hostess stand again to see if her father had arrived. She had emailed him to say that she would be wearing a shimmery pink top and a black skirt, and that she would have her hair up the way he liked, so he could pick her out in the crowd in an instant. She had so much to tell her father, and she craned her neck to see over the people next to her. Any minute he would be here. It was quarter of nine, fifteen minutes past their reservation time. Hopefully he hadn’t had trouble trying to get a taxi from the airport.

So far winter break had been pretty dreary, but tonight would change all that. It wasn’t a three-week trip, but the fact that her father was coming to Boston just to have dinner with her meant something. It had also meant that she’d spent the past week holed up alone in Dana’s apartment while she and her roommate were gone for break, which, while somewhat boring, hadn’t been too awful. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day had not been great, to be honest, although as an only child, Julie had learned to be pretty good at entertaining herself. Granted, this had been more like hiding out than actual entertainment, but she hadn’t had a choice. And she felt sort of shady for lying to her mother and the whole Watkins family about not going to California. Still, that had been easier than getting them to understand what had happened.